IN THE DISTANCE
The Balkans is a geographical designation and lexical concept, political and even moral. The name of the peninsula bounded by the Adriatic, Marmara and Aegean comes from the mountain range that runs from north to south as a true backbone, While some might call it Devil's ancestral given the history of violence that has shaken. The word "Balkan" has taken a significant unsolvable synonymous atomization, excessive brutality and absolute impasse as applicable to communities, individuals or conflicts.
Bosnia recently held elections that perpetuate a status quo of institutional inefficiency and ethnic hatred. Muslims will rule with a 35% support, Serbs maintain their independent semi-state and Croats aspire to have their own. So, as well as to end the war in 1995. The votes, crystallized into three niches immovable, leave well enough alone. And is that Bosnia is impossible to state. But, powered by injections of euros that the EU given generously, perhaps to numb his bad conscience for having allowed such horrific infamy.
But there is also some self-interest. Bosnia is a bad gangrene seared perhaps being rotting in silence, but he's doing a few miles from European breakwater. The soldiers of the international force still here, but journalists were long since. Have they also Islamist mujahideen who came to help his Muslim brothers? Is nesting fundamentalism in Bosnia skeptical once part of Yugoslavia? The votes cast for the moderate Izetbegovic allow Bakis believe the serpent's egg is sterile now. But, some estimated at no less than 13% followers of Wahhabism.
ROAD
Going from Split, the territory is mostly Bosnian Croat. At the pump allowed the Kuna, Croatian currency, and sell alcohol and pornography. Bosnia does not have its own currency, works with euro. There are many churches. May not devotion but political. Like the minarets, crosses are flags. On the way to Mostar Croats and emblems are Catholic cemeteries. A Medjugorre comes a huge crowd of pilgrims to attend some alleged apparitions of the Virgin that are repeated daily.
Mostar, the mythical city bisected by the River Neretva. The center is rebuilt and bustling with life. There bazaars, stores, restaurants, hotels ... the reconstruction was complete, Full, immense. War has become a tourist attraction. In the street markets selling all sorts of souvenirs and memories of war in former Yugoslavia. Caps, Helmets, insignia, grenades, emblems. But just a few feet away, the horror of war appears. Buildings in ruins, bullet holes, painted, rubble, burns.
Of four houses, one is pure skeleton. Ethnic cleansing was completed. The Croats and Bosnian Serbs took to. Then they started to kill each other until the respective banks hygienized. Now they can live in peace because they ended the mixture. The mosques and minarets that are on the Croatian side are testimonial. If there had been some Muslim presence in the historical center, there would be no money for reconstruction. And is that the money they deserve only the good guys who do the bidding of London, Paris, Bonn o Washington.
From the tall buildings Serb snipers fired at pedestrians and drivers. Today only standing a huge ruin
The Road to Sarajevo follows the river through canyons and lakes. You enter through the Avenue of the Snipers, so named because from high buildings Serb snipers fired at pedestrians and drivers. Today only standing a huge ruin. Bored and full of graffiti stands as an uncomfortable reminder of hate. Other properties are new, mastodons gleaming office. At the other end, is the Muslim Quarter. Guarded by high mountains, was among the hardest hit by the bombing of the VRS, Serb militia army. Bustling and multicultural, new mosques proliferate and are some bearded and muffled. It seems that here begins to encourage fundamentalism auque the polls and did not give the high representation obtained in the previous elections.
Just leave Sarajevo, yet at the periphery, displayed a poster. Republika Srpska. It is the refuge of the Bosnian Serbs. Their legal status is complex. Autonomy for the Bosnian government and the international community, independent country for Serbs. In the ghostly edge there an Austrian officer of the Blue Helmets. Ensures that their bosses are Spanish, but not know how to pronounce their names. The republic is even poorer than the rest of the country. Here international aid does not arrive with such joy.
Serbian Flags. Cyrillic Alphabet. National pride. Kids walking down the road. The country seems to live in a world two decades older. The road is bad and going through a mountainous area abruptísima not see any western enrollment. No bars or cafes. Some of hostility permeates the atmosphere, or perhaps is that no one speaks English. Bills are not accepted in Croatia and types of mustache and sunken cheeks remind me to draw characters for the story Herge Tintin King Ottokar's Sceptre entitled.
This authority does not reach the new Bosnian police, of irreproachable conduct due to the training received from NATO. Agents stop me for an offense nonexistent are members of the former security forces "Yugoslav". This pair of mature men carrying shields illegal Republika Srpska try to fill his meager pay with the driver systematic extortion. Its legitimacy is absolutely spooky. The legitimate government of Bosnia seeks the dissolution of this militia. The same like the International Community. But the arms of these two thugs in uniform, but old, shoot real bullets. And in the Balkans that leaden truth is the only law that is respected.
